copper

¹ American  

[kop-er] / ˈkɒp ər /

noun

1. a malleable, ductile, metallic element having a characteristic reddish-brown color: used in large quantities as an electrical conductor and in the manufacture of alloys, as brass and bronze. Cu; 63.54; 29; 8.92 at 20°C.

2. a metallic reddish brown.

3. a coin composed of copper, bronze, or the like, as the U.S. cent or the British penny.

4. any of several butterflies of the family Lycaenidae, as Lycaena hypophleas American copper, having copper-colored wings spotted and edged with black.

5. a container made of copper.

6. a tool partly or wholly made of copper.

   a soldering copper.

7. British. a large kettle, now usually made of iron, used for cooking or to boil laundry.

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adjective

1. made of copper.

   copper kettles.

2. reddish-brown; coppery.

   The copper sun sank into the sea.

verb (used with object)

coppers, present (3rd person singular) coppered, past participle, past coppering present participle

1. to cover, coat, or sheathe with copper.

2. Informal. hedge.

copper ² American  

[kop-er] / ˈkɒp ər /

noun

Slang.

1. a police officer.

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copper ¹ British  

/ ˈkɒpə /

noun

1. Often shortened to: cop.  a slang word for policeman

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copper ² British  

/ ˈkɒpə /

noun

1. 1. a malleable ductile reddish metallic element occurring as the free metal, copper glance, and copper pyrites: used as an electrical and thermal conductor and in such alloys as brass and bronze. Symbol: Cu; atomic no: 29; atomic wt: 63.546; valency: 1 or 2; relative density: 8.96; melting pt: 1084.87±+0.2°C; boiling pt: 2563°C

   2. ( as modifier )

      a copper coin

2. 1. the reddish-brown colour of copper

   2. ( as adjective )

      copper hair

3. informal any copper or bronze coin

4. a large vessel, formerly of copper, used for boiling or washing

5. any of various small widely distributed butterflies of the genera Lycaena, Heodes, etc, typically having reddish-brown wings: family Lycaenidae

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verb

1. (tr) to coat or cover with copper

copper Scientific  

/ kŏp′ər /

1. A reddish-brown, ductile, malleable metallic element that is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity. It is widely used for electrical wires, water pipes, and rust-resistant parts, either in its pure form or in alloys such as brass and bronze. Atomic number 29; atomic weight 63.546; melting point 1,083°C; boiling point 2,595°C; specific gravity 8.96; valence 1, 2.

2. See Periodic Table See Note at element

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• coppery
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has coppered
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have coppered
  perfect
• have been coppering
  perfect progressive
• am coppering
  progressive 1st person singular
• is coppering
  progressive 3rd person singular
• has been coppering
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are coppering
  progressive
• coppers
  singular 3rd person
• coppering
  participle

Past

• had coppered
  perfect
• were coppering
  progressive plural
• was coppering
  progressive singular
• coppered
  participle
• coppered
  simple
• had been coppering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will copper
  simple
• will have coppered
  perfect
• will be coppering
  progressive
• will have been coppering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of copper¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English coper, copper, Old English coper, copor (cognate with Old Norse koparr, German Kupfer ), from Late Latin cuprum, for Latin ( aes ) Cyprium “(metal) from Cyprus”

Origin of copper²

First recorded in 1830–40; perhaps cop ² + -er ¹

Explanation

Copper is a reddish-gold colored metal that's commonly used in electrical wires and plumbing. Your grandmother might make her famous chocolate caramel sauce in a shiny copper pot. Before 1983, pennies were 95 percent copper. Today, they're almost entirely zinc (a less expensive metal), coated with a thin copper plating. They look the same, but the older coins are quite a bit heavier. Copper is a good conductor of heat and electricity, which is why it's used for both fancy cookware and wires. You can also use copper for things that have a similar color: "His copper curls make him stand out from the other choir members."

Example Sentences

Southern Peru Copper is a South American miner that is nearly 90% owned by Grupo Mexico and Spotify Technology is domiciled outside the U.S.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

The team of sixth-formers from Friends' School came top of 48 schools from across the UK at the competition held in London's Copper Box Arena.

From BBC • May 27, 2026

Copper is close to record-highs and aluminum gains on Iran war-induced supply disruptions, the analyst adds.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

Copper has also faced long development timelines and limits to new mining projects.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

I knew, at that exact moment, Art3mis must be staring down at her own copy of the Copper Key, reading the clue engraved on its surface.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Related Words

• constable
• detective
• man
• officer
• patrolman
• patrolwoman
• police
• policewoman